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Bikini Bar – Tribeca, New York

Tribeca’s Bikini Bar is now collaborating with Everyman Espresso, at least until August 31, bringing together coffee and (non-alcoholic) cocktails befitting the mid-century surf & tiki-themed space.

“The mission of the pop up, Everyman at BIKINI BAR, is to challenge the public’s conception of what is possible with coffee by pairing coffees with nontraditional ingredients. Another goal is to broaden our own skill of coffee preparation by creating drinks with curious ingredients that achieve balance and complexity.”

Don’t let the name fool you–Bikini Bar is a converted factory space, lovingly decorated by owner Aileen and her late husband with their meticulously curated collection of 50′s and 60′s surf kitsch, vintage surfboards, movie posters, giant tiki heads, and more. (Intrigued? Alex Bernson’s tour of Manhattan’s surf-themed cafes has more and is worth a read). I love this space because it expresses the kind of personal character that most New York cafes lack, and because its slow pacing and tiny bar open up space for conversation you miss (or avoid) at bigger cafes. Enter Everyman Espresso handling the coffee & building on the well-established theme, and you have a winning combination.

Not familiar with the guys behind Everyman? You should be! Their Soho cafe churns out some of the best espresso in the city. The two Sams that run Everyman were recently featured on NPR’s Science Friday, talking about coffee cupping.

I visited their launch party a few weeks ago to try several of the drinks they’ve put together. Below, two of my favorites:

The Haru Swizzle (above), a mixture of Counter Culture’s Ethiopia Haru (Yirgacheffe) coffee prepared on the Aeropress and mixed with peach, lime, and mint. It takes this coffee’s natural floral & citrus notes and turns them up a notch, while a giant spear of ice keeps it all cool.

The other drink that stood out to me was the Shakerato (above), made with a shot of Counter Culture’s Finca El Puente Honduras espresso, simple syrup, lavender and tiki bitters, shaken over ice. Strong and aromatic, perfect for sipping. Flower optional.

You can try these and other Tiki themed drinks at Bikini Bar through August 31st. No word yet on what’s coming after the Everyman pop-up, but we’ve heard rumors of organic juice – and even if Everyman can’t be everywhere, it doesn’t look like Bikini Bar’s espresso machine is going anywhere any time soon!

Below, check out more photos of this unique Tribeca cafe, the Everyman Pop-up party, and the neighborhood :)